Jefferies’ Greed & Fear strategist Christopher Wood has slashed a 10% Bitcoin allocation from his portfolio and moved into gold, citing the quantum risk to BTC, Bloomberg reports. Investment bank Jefferies’ longtime “Greed & Fear” strategist Christopher Wood has reportedly eliminated Bitcoin from his flagship model portfolio, citing mounting concerns that advances in quantum computing may undermine the cryptocurrency’s long-term security. According to a report by Bloomberg, Wood said in the latest edition of his Greed & Fear newsletter, that the 10% Bitcoin (BTC) allocation he first added in late 2020 has been replaced by a split position in physical gold and gold mining stocks. He argued that quantum breakthroughs would weaken Bitcoin’s claim to be a dependable store of value for pension‑style investors. Read more
The rules allow banks to combine token activity with payments and financial services under central bank and tech park oversight. Belarus has introduced a legal framework for so-called “cryptobanks,” formally integrating digital asset activity into the country’s regulated banking system under direct state oversight. On Friday, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko signed Decree No. 19, defining how crypto banks may operate and what conditions they must meet to enter the market. The decree positions cryptobanks as joint-stock companies authorized to combine token-based operations with traditional banking, payments and related financial services. Rather than creating a parallel sector for crypto, the framework ties digital asset activity to existing financial oversight mechanisms and infrastructure. Read more
Google will require proof of FIU registration acceptance for crypto apps, raising compliance hurdles for offshore exchanges serving South Korean users. Google is rolling out updated crypto app requirements in South Korea, a move that may significantly restrict access to offshore crypto exchanges by tying app availability to local regulatory clearance. According to South Korean media outlet News1, starting Jan. 28, crypto exchange and wallet apps listed on Google Play in South Korea must upload documentation proving that their Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) registration with the country's Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) has been accepted. Google reportedly clarified that developers listing crypto exchange and custodial wallet apps must upload proof of completed FIU registration acceptance through its developer console. Read more
The recovery may continue as long as Bitcoin achieves a daily close above $98,000, with the technical setup projecting 18% gains ahead. Bitcoin’s (BTC) price traded 9.5% above its Jan. 1 open of $87,500, and traders were confident that BTC’s short-term “trend is up” as the price approached a key level of interest. Key takeaways: Bitcoin price consolidates around $95,000 as bulls face a major barrier ahead. Read more
Moldova plans to introduce its first crypto law in 2026, aligning with the EU’s MiCA framework while warning citizens about digital asset risks. Moldova plans to introduce its first comprehensive cryptocurrency legislation by the end of 2026, aligning its rules with the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) framework, according to the country’s finance minister, Andrian Gavrilita. Gavrilita said Wednesday in an interview on the state-owned TVR Moldova that the government is working with regulators to develop a legal framework that would allow citizens to hold and trade cryptocurrencies, while stopping short of recognizing digital assets as a means of payment. “We have the responsibility to regulate them, and it will be the right of citizens to hold these currencies,” he said. “I’m not sure if we'll manage during the next month, but it’s our engagement with the European Union. You can’t prohibit [cryptocurrencies.]” Read more
The restructuring comes as the company integrates new payments assets and narrows its mandate, with several employees saying on X that they were affected by the layoffs. Polygon Labs has cut personnel as it pivots more aggressively to a payments-first strategy built around stablecoin rails and what it calls an “Open Money Stack,” a new, vertically integrated set of services designed to move money onchain. The layoffs came just days after announcing a deal worth as much as $250 million to acquire US crypto ATM and payments company Coinme and wallet and developer platform Sequence. Polygon did not publicly disclose how many roles were eliminated, but according to multiple sources on social media platforms like X, a reduction as large of 30% in staff has been linked to the post‑acquisition integration. Read more